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Forums - Discs & Movies - Acting Without Color

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Good Night and Good Luck as well. I know this is a polarizing movie due to content, but I'm not sure it would have been as good a film in color.

Oh, you can also use the power search feature on IMDB to search for Black and White movies. (You can search based on color preference!) It will probably return more stuff than you really want, but it's a starting place.

Thanks for the great link Mal. I'm going to check out The Man Who Wasn't There based on the 2 recommendations above (and it's by the Coen Brothers which is reason enough). Besides the changes in scripting and acting styles, I believe the B & W format lends more character to facial closeups- shadows especially. And a sweaty face looks better too.

Isn't it do do, as well, that acting syles have changed since the period of B&W films.

Another aspect of many B&W films that make them better than most of todays films are the fact that dialogue was so much fuller and had a quicker pace to it. Unrealistic by todays standards but it definately had more snap to it. Again though, that is due to filming techniques changing which leads to a change in acting styles.

I've been watching some classic B & W movies of late (On the Waterfront, 12 Angry Men, the original All The Kings Men) and have come to the conclusion that great acting performances stand out much better when there is no color. Color tends to distract your attention from the intensity of the actor. What are some great Back and White films produced from the major studios post 1970?, Off the top of my head I come up with Raging Bull and Schindler's List